Carbon dioxide sequestration into biomineral armor by ants

[Greg Rau]



https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.21.700952v1

“ Over geologic time, Earth’s climate has been shaped by the capture and conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) into stable carbonate minerals, including dolomite [CaMg(CO3)2]. Accelerating natural carbon mineralization offers significant potential for mitigating anthropogenic climate change. Using stable carbon isotope tracking, nano-scale secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and 13C SSNMR, we show that, paralleling global biosphere-level processes, Sericomyrmex amabilis fungus-farming ants rapidly convert CO2 in their nest chambers into a biomineral layer covering their exoskeletons. We further reveal that biogenic carbon mineralization by these ants produces partially ordered dolomite. This rapid sequestration of CO2 into defensive armor in ants provides a fascinating natural example of mediation of potentially toxic accumulation of atmospheric CO2 that could inform human efforts to mitigate climate change.”

GR Synergies between biology and geochemistry have the potential to produce safe, secure, large-scale CDR. Still, the energy and CO2 footprint of doing the has to be figured out, but it’s got to be better than DAC or BECCS, esp if genetic engineering is thrown into the mix.

Sent from my iPhone

[GRETCHEN & RON LARSON]

Greg and list:

 

      Thanks for this lead.   The attachment shows I was getting close to the Supplemental material.  

      But not successful!   Anyone get there?

 

Ron

 

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